Rain
by Snowmione
Summary: The Golden Trio has returned to Hogwarts. But one member has drifted farther away from the others. Lonely and craving for friendship, she turns to the least expected person.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi everyone****. This is my first story so read it and give reviews. Thanks and enjoy. **

Prologue

It was raining. She hated rain. Rain is so depressing. The sky is gloomy and gray, the sky is crying. And Hermione has had enough crying in her life. She cried when Dumbledore died, she cried when she had to obliviate her parents. Hell, she even cried when the war was over even though she was supposed to be happy. Yes, Hermione Granger has had enough crying in her life and she vowed that there will be no more.

Chapter 1

Darkness. It was usually associated with evil and wrongdoing. But is it really bad? Without darkness, there can't be light. And light was good, right? So if darkness brings light, darkness can't really be bad. Because sometimes you need a little darkness to find the light.

She walked up to the Astronomy tower alone, like every other night. Alone. That was what she felt coming back to Hogwarts. When she and her friends got their welcome back letters, they had been so excited. It was a great opportunity to go back to Hogwarts and retake their 7th year. But then, she and her friends drifted apart. Harry now had Ginny and Ron, Lavender. She had no one. So every night, she went up to the Astronomy tower to get away from all those happy people who had each other when she had no one.

She climbed up the tower and went through the hidden door to the secret balcony hanging over the lake. But when she got there, she realized that she wasn't alone. There was someone else on that balcony where she sought out solitude. She tilted her head and tried to figure out who it was that interrupted her mission for peace and quiet. She softly gasped when she caught sight of the unmistakable platinum blond hair of her old enemy. He turned around and looked at her fully. His eyes widened.

"Granger?"

"Malfoy." She answered calmly.


	2. Chapter 2

From previous chapter

_She softly gasped when she caught sight of the unmistakable platinum blond hair of her old enemy. He turned around and looked at her fully. His eyes widened. _

"_Granger?" _

"_Malfoy." She answered calmly._

Chapter 2

"What are you doing here?" He asked, confused. She looked around.

"What are you doing here?" She countered. He shrugged.

"Looking for solitude, I guess." He sighed.

"Me too. Can I join you?" He nodded.

"Sure." He laid down on the floor of the balcony and looked up at the stars. She followed suit and laid down next to him. They stared up at the stars for a second, entranced by the contrasting silver stars in the blanket of night. Then she felt him shift beside her and turned to look at him. He pointed up at a particular dragon constellation.

"That is the Draco constellation." He said. She glanced up.

"It's pretty." She mused. He looked at her as if seeing her for the first time.

"Yes. It is." He agreed. "What's your favorite constellation?" she thought for a moment.

"Cygnus." She answered determinedly. He looked surprised.

"Really? Not Virgo?" He teased. She shook her head.

"I always thought Virgo looked like a woman lying on her back with her legs spread apart." He laughed. Suddenly, she realized that that was the first real laugh she'd ever heard from him. Then he stopped. She looked at him curiously.

"Why are you here?" he whispered.

"I told you. I wanted some peace and quiet." She answered, confused. He shook his head.

"No. why are you here with me? Why aren't you freaking out and running away, cursing me?" He clarified. Hermione's expression softened. Here was Draco Malfoy, her former enemy, asking her why she was here with him while she could see that he was desperate for friendship. But he had changed since the war. Before, he was an arrogant, cocky boy who thought he was superior to everyone else but now he was a grown man who had seen things no 17 year old should see. He was war weary and because he was on the wrong side of the war, everyone shunned him. And her heart went out to him. After all, without darkness, there wouldn't be light. She made a decision right there and then. She would help him not be lonely. She would be there for him when he needed someone to talk to.

"Draco, I'm here because I know that you have changed. I know that you are not the same boy who tormented me in school and I know that everyone you did, you did for your family even if it was wrong. And now you're here trying to make amendments for everything you did but no one will let you. So I will stay here with you." She explained gently. He swallowed and nodded.

"Thank you." He whispered and for a moment she thought he was going to kiss her. But then he pulled back and stared back up at the sky and she felt an unexpected twinge of disappointment. After that, they just laid there, staring at the stars in peaceful silence and both of them were, unknowingly to the other, thinking about the feelings that passed between them. Just before dawn, they both got up, exchanged goodbyes, and left. Hermione fell onto her bed and just before she drifted to sleep, she remembered the silent promise she made to Draco. I will help you. She said in her mind before she fell into a deep slumber. But the thing she didn't know was that not only would she help him, they would help each other.


End file.
